Fun was the order for the day!
All the photographs, not marked with ”In House” were taken by Kalman Nagy - www.nkshoots.co.uk / hello@nkshoots.co.uk / 07721 810440
Thursday - this couple had chosen to place their marquee centre of the big lawn to ensure views of the house and the view to the hills. Marqco Marquees puts his marquees up so fast that I failed to get a picture of him and his team at work! The Capri style of his tents fitted perfectly with the glorious weather.
44 7787 825548 / enquiries@marqco.co.uk/ http://www.marqco.co.uk/
On Friday an army of friends and family turned up to help the couple set up. Tables were put in place and covered with clothes which were all ironed or steamed before being put in place - such attention to detail.
Once perfect, the bride draped a sage green runner across each one. Each guest had a beautiful gold decorated plate which looked like glass but was in fact plastic. On top of this went a cream fabric napkin fitted into a gold ring and a handwritten name tag.
A mirrored mat was place in the centre of each table, on top of which was a rose in a glass vase and a bottle of gin!
The simplicity was very effective.
Friends assembled and filled a crisp wall and put the drinks ready to place into buckets of ice the next day.
Outside, a board was being put up, to house a pair of sunglasses for each guest. Each pair had their name and table number on it. The groom’s brother in law had added the perfect lettering.
More friends were finalising the Plan of the Day Board – again all handwritten – while another arranged flowers round a welcome board. All the flowers being used were fake but until you got up close you would not have guessed.
The weather was so lovely that they could move the welcome sign to the entrance to the lawns and put a table beside it with baskets full of confetti and even fans to keep the guests cool.
The weather was forecast to be dry overnight, so all the chairs were taken down to the gazebo lawn ready for the ceremony the next day. The bride’s son turned all the seat covers over to protect them from the dew. He was incredibly helpful throughout the weekend
With the chairs in place, they staged a rehearsal which caused much hilarity!
Paper decorations were added to the ribbons already hanging from the branches of the Catalpa tree – left by a previous wedding but too pretty to take down!!
The Cherry bar arrived to set up – they had thought that they would be inside and had not brought a cover but luckily the couple had a spare black gazebo to pop over the top of them. The next day they added lights.
info@cherrybar-events.co.uk / cherrybar-events.co.uk / 07791 723918
Soon it was time to return home to rest before the big day
Saturday and the weather was forecast to be very hot. Demaine Artisan Pizza drove into the field early to set up their gazebo and ovens. He is a friend of the couple. You can see from the colour of the grass in the field how hot it has been. The firm was well equipped with fire extinguishers.
Demaineartisan@gmail.com/ www.demaineartisan.co.uk / 07771333767
For the groom and his friends there were many last minute tasks to fulfill.
Lanterns, decorated with flowers appeared down the aisle and the outside chairs were draped with white chiffon. Reserved seats were marked with a polite card
The boys turned over all the seat covers again, sweets and drinks were placed ready for guests to grab before the ceremony, flipflops appeared in the marquee for weary feet later in the day, and little bags of confetti placed in the basket set out for them.
The groom went into the house to see the registrars, passing the ancestors in their wedding hats on his way.
Time for him to encourage the guests to leave their drinks and take their seats - the bride was arriving.
The bride looked amazing in a tight fitting dress with a lace top and a fish tail train. She was accompanied by four adult bridesmaids in matching pale green dresses.
The party went into the house for the bride to meet the registrars. On coming out, they paused briefly to have their photographs taken on the steps.
Then they lined up on the drive, waiting for signal to go down to the gazebo where the groom was patiently waiting. The bridesmaids were each matched with a young escort. The bride was being given away by her youngest son. The music started and it was time to set off - as you can see a very relaxed journey!
The bridesmaids took their places and the ceremony began.
They had a couple of readings.
but not all the guests were thrilled with the proceedings!
Both bride and groom exchanged rings and soon it was time to pronounce them man and wife and to sign the register.
Time to turn and face their guests and leave in a storm of confetti followed by their bridesmaids with their youthful beau.
Guests moved up to the lawn by the marquee, helping themselves to drinks and sweets. The photographer began to take the group photographs - again all very informal - starting with one of the whole wedding party.
The couple had arranged for their two dogs to come and join them for the photographs.
Everyone chatted on the lawn, or explored the grounds or tried their hand at croquet which had been laid out on the gazebo lawn. Haybales made a grandstand for spectators.
Some were brave enough to try out the stick on tattoos on offer.
Speeches came next and guests found their places in the marquee.
Following speeches, guests made their way out into the fields to choose their pizza from the delicious selection on offer at Demaine Artisan’s stall.
Pudding took the form of an ice cream from a proper ice cream van! The bride took her turn at serving!
+44 1202 287567 / Info@icecreambournemouth.co.uk / icecreambournemouth.co.uk
The photographer whipped the couple away to have some informal photographs taken in the grounds.
Meanwhile, the groom’s sister and colleagues were loading the long table in the marquee with the most incredible cold buffet ready for guests to help themselves as they wishes.
Vines Kitchen - +44 1258 920582 / Vinesa31@gmail.com
In the midst of all this was the wedding cake. A towering confection of doughnuts with an iced cake on the top, all put together by the bride’s stepmother.
This was not the only cake that day - it was bride’s stepfather’s birthday and a chocolate cake with a fiery fountain on top was produced much to his embarrassment and joy.
The fun continued with everyone enjoying themselves outside in the blazing sun until it began to go down. The couple came into the marquee to cut the cake, and the music started to play - the signal for the couple to take to the floor for their first dance.
Disco - Finlay Wort - a friend of the family - he had also masterminded the music for the ceremony.
The music continued until midnight when everyone departed for their beds - some to home and some to Airb&b’s in the surrounding countryside. It had been a day full of love, laughter and fun.
